“He might not be able to understand your side, or where you are coming from, but if he wants to be with you, he needs to respect it,” Faye adds, placing her empty glass down on the table. “You are only just figuring this all out, too. You both need to go easy on each other.”
She’s right.
“Thank you,” I tell both of them. “I feel much better now. I’ll drive back tomorrow and speak to Atlas, and hopefully sort it all out.”
“You think he’s going to sit there and wait for you?” Faye asks, amusement laced in her tone. “He’s a biker.”
“Yeah, but he’s different,” I murmur.
And I think he is. He’s calmer and easygoing, not as aggressive as the men I’ve known. And I don’t want a toxic love.
I want a calm, patient love.
I want to be understood and respected.
I want a partner.
And I think Atlas can give me that. He’s still alpha, just one who is more in control. He knows who he is, and he owns it. He brings me peace, not chaos, and I like that about him.
“You think he’ll come here?” I ask, voice going a little higher.
He wouldn’t. Would he?
Do I want him to?
I mean, I would like to speak to him face-to-face and have a composed conversation about what happened. We need to know how to have an argument in a clean way, and not make it turn into a fight every time.
I don’t want to fight with him, especially not over someone like Marko, but I want him to respect my career just like I respect his motorcycle club.
Faye and Mom share a look, and then they both laugh.
Wait, was that a yes or a no?
Chapter Sixteen
Atlas
After our meeting to discuss how we’ll handle Marko, everyone starts to head out in separate directions.
And I don’t want to go back home. I want to go and find Natalie. We’re already halfway to the Wind Dragons clubhouse, and I know her parents don’t live far from there.
I walk over to Rhett’s bike and stand there for a second, deciding what to do. He looks up and smirks. “You coming with us?”
“I want to,” I state.
“You’re welcome to crash at the clubhouse,” he offers, and I quickly take him up on it. I tell Aries that I’m heading to Natalie’s parents’ place and that I’ll be home tomorrow.
“Ride safe,” he says.
“You too, brother. Oh, and can you try CJ? I’ve been trying to get ahold of him since Marko resurfaced, but haven’t been able to connect with him.”
Aries nods and rides off. I get on my bike and join the Wind Dragons for a ride, the only one wearing a different cut.
The hour journey is an enjoyable one, and I find myself wondering what the fuck I’m going to say to Natalie when I see her. Is she going to be pissed that I’m just showing up? To her parents’, of all places?
Maybe.
But I want to talk it out with her. I don’t want to leave shit up in the air; it drives me crazy. I hate not knowing where we stand, and I want to know if we can get past this.